Clemson’s offense developed throughout the 2023 season, and it took some time for Garrett Riley to get his ducks in a row. Once he did, the tight end position was arguably the best in the unit.

With the loss of Davis Allen to to the NFL, Jake Briningstool was thrust into the starting role and it took some time to fully adjust. Early on, it may not have been his fault.

Briningstool is a vertical threat, but he was often running short routes towards the sideline. It was most evident over the first four games, and it limited his potential. Once the Tigers used him as a matchup weapon, things changed.

His touchdown against Florida Atlantic was the first glimpse as quarterback Cade Klubnik trusted him even with a defender draped on top of Briningstool. That grew to become the norm.

While it was a loss, Briningstool’s dominance at Miami was something to behold. A career-high 126 yards and two touchdowns, both acrobatic grabs. Riley used him consistently on deep crossers and schemed favorable matchups against defensive backs. This performance was followed by eight catches for 93 yards at NC State.

Beyond Briningstool, the production wasn’t large but Sage Ennis handled business as a blocker. When he went down with injury midway through the season, the young group of Olsen Patt-Henry and Josh Sapp stepped up into that role and there was no obvious drop off.

While we hoped for more out of that group as receivers, Briningstool’s numbers make up for it and there were flashes from the young group. Now that Ennis has transferred out, those extra reps for Sapp and Patt-Henry were crucial.

Tight end is a position to be excited about for 2024, and it was quietly one of the best for Clemson last season especially as the season turned for the best.

Tight end final grade: B